Racer X Gullwing's 10th Rezzday

By Bixyl Shuftan

Snail Race organizer RacerX Gullwing recently celebrated a Second Life milestone: his tenth rezzday. And on Saturday June 21st, he threw a big party. Silias Scarborough helped out by playing the music for the event.

Besides dancing with his longtime partner Safra Nitely, Racer did a slide show of pictures of his early days. At first, he looked like "Racer X" from the anime "Speed Racer," hence his name. Later on he would start and practice building until he had the bunny form he wears today.

The party was big in both attendance, and the variety of avatars who showed up, furs, tinies, micros, ponies, and of course regular human avatars.

One furry commented he had never seen such a variety of folk in a single place.

Tuna Oddfellow of "The Odd Ball" was among those attending.

So was Prokovy Neva, another noted resident.

Chakat Northspring of Team Firestorm was also there, and got into the act.

Everyone was happy, until some griefers showed up to try and spoil the party. Prokovy would later describe what happened in his blog.

But they were soon given the boot, and the party resumed. The message for the griefers was simple and to the point.

Despite that one slight problem at the end, everyone enjoyed themselves at this one of a kind rezzday party for the "unique bunny" of Second Life's racing scene.

*Addition* Racer would later made a video of his party.

RacerX 10th RezDay2

(click here if the video doesn't show)

Bixyl Shuftan

Be A Work of Art and Buy a Work of Art: Relay Wizards Plan an Event

By DrFran Babcock

The slogan of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life is: Celebrate, Fight Back, Remember. Each year the residents of Second Life™ expend time, love and energy to do just those things, in an effort to conquer the many diseases that make up cancer.

 The Relay Wizards for Spunky are together again as a team for the seventh time. Their core membership is solid under the leadership of Team Captain Shawna Montgomery, and co-captains Anhayla Lycia, HALEY Salomon and SpUnKy Young (our survivor), but they are always ready to welcome new members as they did for me and Catboy Qunhua last year, and for Blue Myanamotu, Taralyn Gravois, and Explorer Dastardly this year. The team has been meeting regularly to plan their camp and the events that they hold every year, such as the Dunk the Emperor, in which Tiny Empires creator, Ultralite Soliel, valiantly goes into the drink with good spirits, and lots of laughs.

At one of our planning meetings Explorer suggested that we do an art auction, and we thought that would be a solid idea, as long as Explorer was willing to organize it, and organize it she did.

It is my fervent belief that when something is meant to happen, it happens. That is exactly how the pieces of the auction came together. Taralyn Gravois, probably one of the largest art collectors in the metaverse, offered up her Art Castle as a venue for the event. Over the last few months Explorer has assertively approached SL artists, asking for art donations, canvassed all the members of the Relay Wizards to see if they knew any artists, and continued to meet with us to give us updates. She even held mini-meetings with many of us while we enjoyed our weekly dose of comedy at Lauren’s Place on Tuesday nights.

Little by little the pieces fell together, the event got bigger and bigger, and we all got really excited, because of plans for the opening day. The opening will be a huge costume ball, and you are being asked to come as your favorite work of art, or favorite artist. Veteran Relay Wizards for SpUnKy team member Thickbrick Sleaford has constructed a super-secret dance floor and party area for the opening event.

I have my costume all ready for the big day, and I can hardly wait to see what other people will do. All of this is very, very secret…you just have to come and see. We will have works of art for auction from some of the coolest names in the SL art world including:  Alcibides Zemenis, Bobbi LaSalle (bobbilaval), Bryn Oh, Crap Mariner, Explorer Dastardly, Feathers Boa, Graye Ashbourne, my friend and creative idol: Kake Broek, Lisa Figeuroa, Littleone Arles, Sweet Susanowa, and Van Caerndow (Phil Strang).

Come to the opening for fun, dancing, costumes, famous names in art. Come to gape in wonder at the amazing build for the dance floor. Come to look around Taralyn’s Art Castle to see one of the most varied and inclusive collections of avatar art in the virtual world. Most of all come to support the Relay for Life in combatting the scourge of cancer.

Here are the details for the Relay Wizards for SpUnKy Art Auction:

                                                                        Date- June 21, 2014

                                                                        Time- @ 1:00 – 3:00 PM SLT

                                                                        Place- The Art Castle

                                                                        Theme- Dress as Art or as an Artist

                                                                        Slurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cor%20unum/199/181/3764

Bidding will run for a week and then close on June 28, 2014

(names for pic of team meeting LtoR): Thickbrick Sleaford, Catboy Qunhua, DrFran Babcock, Explorer Dastardly, Anhayla Lycoia, and HALEY Sal 

DrFran Babcock

SL Newser's Anniversary Weekend

By Bixyl Shuftan

Last week was the fourth Anniversary of the launch of the Second Life Newser. From Thursday June 5th to Saturday June 7th, there were four celebrations in it's honor, one for every year of it's operation.

On 6PM SL time on June 5, Club Zero Gravity, the space station club in Purrfection, held the first event. DJ Cynthia Farshore performed the music for the crowd.

DJ Cynthia also played for the event the following day, at the Happy Vixen Beach club at 3PM SL time on Friday June 6, also in Purrfection. Gemma Cleanslate and Theonlyjohnny were there, along with longtime friend Breezes Babi and others. Normally having events on Monday, this was a special event for the club.

June 7 at Noon was the main event, the party at the private beach of our longtime friend Covadonga Writer.

Cova had to leave just as people were showing up, and it wasn't long before Gemma, Grey, Nydia, and others were dancing away

Grease Coakes was the DJ of our happy event. Instead of the Griffin av he's been wearing for so long, he's been appearing more in this "mutant fox" avatar.

Gemma enjoys the fun on the beach deck.

Gray just after her arrival.

TheonlyJohnny in his combat armor from a sim he's been gaming at.

We had no shortage of friends with us. Among those there was Ucello "Uccie" Poultry of "The Poultry Report." Happy Caturday, Uccie.

A friend of Grease's whom was dressed a bit, unusual, for a dance party. She later told me she was going to a mosque that day. Guess one can call it "boogie in a burka."

We had lots of fun that afternoon. After Grease, Qwark Allen showed up to DJ for a while.

Finally at 6PM that day was the last of the Newser events, the party at Club Cutlass, managed by Jenni Greenfield.

Shockwave Yareach was the DJ for the party, attended by estate owner Rita Mariner and many others.

DrFran Babcock was there, with her friend Ariel Loonie, whom was dressed for the "Goat Simulator" game.

So was Eleanor Medier of the Sim Street Jounral.

Some of the partiers dressed the part, with fedoras & overcoats.

Shockwave found several news-themed tunes among the music played, "Do you know how few songs there are about the news?"

It was one fun party, and a great way to end the Newser's anniversary events.

But this isn't the end of this month's parties. We had such a fun time, we're planning one for Qwark and Gemma's home beach on June 21st. Plus, there will be a couple parties at the SL11B Newser exhibit.

Bixyl Shuftan

Giant Snail Race at Raglan Shire

By Bixyl Shuftan

On Saturday May 31, Raglan Shire was the scene of the month's cross-country Giant Snail Race. The Giant Snail Races are organized by RacerX Gullwing and his team. The races take place very Saturday, usually on RacerX's obstacle course in Devon Dream. But during the Relay for Life fundraising season, they hold a cross-country race on the last Saturday of Relay months. In the past, these races to raise funds for charity were held on the mainland. But starting this year, RacerX began offering a charity auction with the location of the next race as the prize. And Raglan won the chance to be the location for May's race.

Normally the snails in cross-country races are in two groups. Those paying a 2500 Linden entry fee start right on the starting line, with those paying a 500 L one starting a little further back. This time, there was an additional starting place further back,with an entry fee of  just 100L.

Across the tiny community, the giant snails made their way across streets, trails, ramps, streams, and walkways. The use of "teleport logs" made things a bit confusing as the snails tried to follow the course, some locals commenting "looks like now they're not sure what is going on." "I hadda idee dis wuz gonna be barely controlled chaos." "Thats nuffin' new in Raglan. Hehehe." But despite that and the lag, a good time was had by all.

The locals sat in various locations to watch the race. Some were showing their humor, such as this kitty looking like a patron at a French restaurant, which if you're a snail is the last place you want to be.

Raglan's tinies already have a reputation for having plenty of chaotic fun. The addition of giant snails just added to it. "We got runned ober!" "I BEEN SLIMED!!" "Ewwwww, tentacles touching me!!" "Told ya things could get crazy."

And at the end, there was the usual celebration and dance, with everyone who made their way to the finish line getting a trophy.

The unofficial list was as follows (RacerX accidentally crossed the line at 10):

 Lominola Rehula 1
 Lulee Babenco 2
 Bree Himmel 3
 Tapple Gao 4
 Vanessamendonca Resident 5
 Tindallia Soothsayer 6
 Alden Cortes 7
 Shady Fox 8
 Loopy String 9
 Temba Resident 11
 Fullauto Vandyke 12
 Cinders Vale 13
 Trebek Raymaker 14
 Caleb Kit 15
 Linn Darkwatch 16
 SkippyMcSkipperson Resident 17
 Galaxar Darkstone 18
 Cobbie Tigerpaw 19
 Kaydge Resident 20
 Seth Stratten 21
 Safra Nitely 22
 Rendal Constantineau 23
 Sweecahcahche Ah 24
 Panacea Pangaea 25
 Morganne Darkstone 26

RacerX would later offer a video of the race.



(click here if the video fails to play)

Bixyl Shuftan

1920s Berlin Project Fifth Anniversary's Open House

On Thursday May 29, The "1920s Berlin Project" held it's "Open House" as part of it's fifth anniversary events. Normally closed to nonhuman avatars, it was open that day to them.

On this day everyone is welcome to visit our sim ‘as they are’, with other words, you can ignore our strict 1920s dress code and you can also use non human avatars. Several of our tenants will also open their doors and an ‘Open House’ sign will show you where you can enter and explore how the people in the city live.

Near the teleport entry was a train station, which I used to go further into the city.

Looking around, I found some activity at an open-air cafe. The radio played music of the time period.

Both local residents and visitors were there. Community owner Jo Yardley herself was there serving drinks to everyone, both those in respectable positions, and even once dancer in "that vulgar Eldorado club." There was a tip jar people could drop a few Lindens into.

Besides sitting down for a "beir," one could also dance for a bit, "Well, now I can say I (am) finally dancing in Berlin....and with a fox!"

I wasn't the only fox around, others preferring nonhuman avs also taking the chance to visit. Most visitors chose to stick with outfits close to the era's fashion though. When I asked what was the most unusual avatar seen, one answered they saw a kind of mermaid floating around.

Later on would be events just for locals, such as a soap box derby. Jo told of some antics in the past, "once, my friend Jan, crashed into a pile of fresh fish on the docks ... we all stank of fish there, but it was fun to see." "Soapbox derby is serious stuff," another commented, "Kids don't fool around these days."

There was also a "Frau Jo" (joeldorado) joking around some distance away. Jo pretended to be upset, "Don't make me hit you into the hospital you cow. ... that evil woman pretends to be me. ... she dances at that vulgar Eldorado club, trying to ruin my reputation. If she knows whats good for her, she better stay out of my way." Other locals took this banter with amusement, "I would pay money to watch two Jos fight." "Unless you want to see your club on fire, you better not put that woman on stage again!"

It was a night of meriment, as visitors had fun with the locals. But except for Monday June 2nd, other days of the anniversary would be just for the locals. Besides the soap box derby, there would be  a Miss Berlin Pageant, a talent show at one club, a scavenger hunt at the train station, and more.

Jo would write on her blog, "I could have never imagined it to turn out to become such a huge success, a sim with a the most amazing community, a sim that in stead of being just a bit of fun turned into a huge part of my life. And not just my life, I’m very proud to have tenants who have been living in this city for 2,3, 4 and even 5 years! Many of whom I’d call close friends. I’ve loved every minute of this time traveling adventure and it still is only the beginning."

She mention the possibility of starting a second historical RP area, though "I'm not making any promises."

Besides her 1920s Berlin Project, Jo Yardley's also known for her blog of goings on in Second Life. One can read it here: http://joyardley.wordpress.com/.  She also cohosts Daxtor Despress in the Drax Files Radio Hour. 

Bixyl Shuftan